Patent publication GB-2228760 (VALES, published 05 Sept 1990) shows an arrangement of the interlocking edge forms of the elements of a barrier, the illustrated arrangement being highly effective to resist leakage. The present invention may be regarded as an improvement to that type of interlocking edge-form arrangement.
In VALES, one of the key aspects is that a cavity is created in the potential leak path that exists between two interlocking elements. The cavity is defined by the profiles of the interlocking edge forms. The cavity is large enough that a hose pipe may be passed down the cavity, and water then may be flushed through the cavity. When the cavity is flushed out, an injecting or dispensing pipe may be inserted into the cavity, and a sealant and/or adhesive may be injected into the cavity.
The present invention is aimed at improving the reliability with which the sealed junctions of this general type can be regarded as leak proof.